Single Malt
Scotland
14 Jan 2004
19 Jul 2017
5
Another expression from the Straight From The Cask series, the Ballechin 13 Year Old 2004 (cask 5) is a heavily-peated, Burgundy-cask-matured single malt Scotch whisky from the famed Edradour distillery. Bottled in July 2017 after it was distilled in January 2004, it maintains its natural colour and cask strength. With an outturn of 404 bottles, the Ballechin 13 Year Old 2004 (cask 5) marks another welcome effort from the Highland distillery.
Smoke is immediately obvious, and there are some hints of sweet vanilla and perhaps basil.
A tad oily and rich, a lovely subtle almond develops with a slightly salty quality that tempers the heavy smoke really well.
Really lovely, it's not too oily and a twinge of black pepper spice is present as the woody oak pushes through. Combined with the smoke and the sweeter notes, the balance is very impressive.
Mature, complex and beautifully presented - good value-for-money, too!
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I like a whisky that is not quite like any other, yet reminds one of many others - in this case a shirred Laphroig an old sherried Bowmore, and a Springbank or two. A bit auster and dry but all the more interesting for that. I was given a dram at the Soho Whisky Club tonight by the manager George Keeble. He said "You won;t be disappointed." Reminds me actually of a wine casked Bowmore I bought from Duncan Taylor. It certainly is winey, but an interesting and Entertaining balancing act between the wine and the the mineraly smoke. I would rather like a bottle! Lots going on, and layers develop beneath the two main sparring partners including hints of Tropical from and salted porridge. It's a bit like a red currant jam, not too sugared, rolled in a wrap made of smoked parchment.
